Eighteen New Zealand rabbits at the average age of 3.6 months were divided into 3 groups as ..... Drummond, J. G., S. E. Curtis, J. M. Lewis, F. C. Hinds and J.
828 Bulgarian Journal of Agricultural Science, 19 (No 4) 2013, 828-834 Agricultural Academy
EFFECT OF HIGH AMMONIA LEVEL ON STRESS-INDUCED HEMATOLOGICAL CHANGES IN RABBITS: PREVENTIVE EFFECT OF PYRIDOXINE M. DYAVOLOVA, I. YANCHEV, D. GUDEV and P. MONEVA Institute of Animal Science, BG - 2232 Kostinbrod, Bulgaria
Abstract DYAVOLOVA, M., I. YANCHEV, D. GUDEV and P. MONEVA, 2013. Effect of high ammonia level on stressinduced hematological changes in rabbits: preventive effect of pyridoxine. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 19: 828-834 The object of the present experiment was to evaluate the effect of air ammonia on some hematological parameters and rabbit response to short-term psychological stress as well as to test the effect of supplemental pyridoxine. Eighteen New Zealand rabbits at the average age of 3.6 months were divided into 3 groups as follows: Control group – reared under low air ammonia levels (6.79±2.55 ppm) and two experimental groups- reared under higher air ammonia levels (21.98±7.84 ppm). The second experimental group was given supplemental pyridoxine (200 mg/l) throughout the 10 day long experimental period. Arterial blood samples were taken at the start (1-st day) and at the end of the experiment (10 -th day) as well as before and following exposure to psychological stress. Stress was induced on day 10 by 1 minute “dog barking” PC record in a triple 110 dB playback. The following parameters were evaluated: total erythrocyte and leukocyte counts, hematocrit, peripheral blood leukocyte distribution, rectal temperature, respiratory rate and air ammonia concentration. Ammonia augmented leukocyte counts (P
